Before lifting Tyler Flowers for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, White Sox manager Robin Ventura reiterated his support Sunday for the struggling catcher.
"He's doing a great job calling a game," Ventura said. "The hitting has become better. He's going to run into a guy where he does strike out, but the quality of at-bats has gotten better.
"It's hard in this situation when we're losing games that you pinpoint one at-bat. You look at the quality of the at-bats, and it's getting better."
Flowers is 10-for-30 with two home runs in his last 10 games to raise his batting average to .220.
Early blues: Hector Santiago struck out eight in 51/3 innings, but seven of them occurred after he allowed a three-run double to Matt Dominguez in the second. It's the third time Santiago has allowed three runs or more in one of the first four innings.
"I settled in after that, but I have to get to the point where I get through the first two innings," said Santiago, who issued two walks that preceded Dominguez's hit. "I get through those, and it seems like we're good from there. We have to prevent that."
Waiting on Wise: A game-ending baserunning gaffe Saturday by Jordan Danks shifted attention to Dewayne Wise, who is 2-for-10 in three games on a minor league rehabilitation assignment for Triple-A Charlotte.